Blue Berry
by rilojenkins
Summary: After being pardoned for the murder of Judy, Nick is set on retrieving the carrot pen from the clutches of mayor Bellwether.


**Blue Berry**

* * *

"No, of course not," Bellwether giggles, "he is." The blueberry strikes Nick in the cheek and he yelps.

"No!" shouts Judy, she crawls over to him. "Oh, Nick."

Nick shudders and looks up at her, "Hopps, run!" he said through his teeth. Her eyebrows twitch.

"Better listen to him, Judy." Bellwether laughs.

Nick's ringing ears couldn't hear Judy's retort, he shakes his head; attention snapping to the smell of rabbit. Pressing his nose to the ground he follows her familiar scent, which leads him to tufts of tallgrass. Peering through he finds her cornered. She pleads with him. He lunges and she screams.

Nick blinks. The room is a monotone white. To his right he sees an end table with a wilting violet flower. Behind it a machine that displays his vitals. A hospital, he laughs, so we did it. "Hopps, you there?" he asks glancing around the room "Hopps-" Nick's eyes widen as he notices chief Bogo sitting in the corner. "Ugh, chief, it's great seeing you again and all, but how's our bunny doing?" Bogo rises from his seat, his hands curl into fists. Nick sits up. His arm snags on a handcuff that holds his right paw to the bed. He stares at the cuff. "No," he said shivering, "no, no, no, no, no!" He wanted to scream. He wanted to kick and scream and throw anything near him. Nick desperately looks over to Bogo "Please tell me you got there in time; tell me you stopped me from hurting her, please tell me that!" Bogo looks down. Nick's ears droop and he returns his gaze to the flower, studying it. His eyes narrow, "Did you at least get Bellwether?"

Bogo scowls, "Mayor Bellwether?" he asks looming over him.

"Ye-yes, mayor Bellwether," said Nick, "she's been darting all the predators, she darted me."

"Mayor Bellwether is the one that convinced us to spare you're sorry little hide."

"What-why?"

"I don't care, Wilde!" Bogo shouts his temper finally returns "You SLAUGHTERED an officer!"

The shock collar powers up as it clicks around Nick's neck. Thanks, Bellwether, Nick thought. He couldn't believe this. She pardoned him, mayor Bellwether pardoned him. Of course he has to wear the shock collar that the officer was now examining. She pats Nick on the shoulder. "You are goo-" she pauses, and tightens Nick's tie, "you are good to go, Mr. Wilde." Nick dips his head and the officer beckons him toward the gate. Finnick's old van was waiting across the street. Slightly undoing his tie, he strolls past two guards and gives them a curt wave goodbye. Finnick glances over and sees Nick, which brings a smile to both of their faces. "Nick," Finnick said with a laugh, "you're a little grey behind the ears."

"I could say the same to you, Fin," replies Nick opening the van door, "but you haven't aged a day. Do tell me your secrets."

"Hm" he mumbles spotting the collar.

"Pretty sharp suit, huh?" said Nick with grin, "The collar though, I've got Bellwether to thank for that."

"That you do. You must be a fan though, her pardoning you and all."

Nick narrows his eyes, "Well," he said looking around, "I'll explain on the road."

"That we'll do, my friend, that we'll do."

Nick was quiet for a while, feeling the soft morning breeze sweep through his fur. "Finnick," he said softly, Finnick glances over "Bellwether is the one who's darting predators."

"Mayor Bellwether?"

"Yes, Finnick, mayor Bellwether!" His collar light flashes yellow. Nick sighs and leans back in the seat. "Judy and I, we had it all planned out. But she outplayed us, darted me and I... I killed Judy." Finnick glances at him intently studying the dash. "Finnick," Nick asks, "do you know anyone who could dupe a collar? One that still works, but can be switched off?"

"Uh, Nick, what do you plan on-"

"And do you have any idea where I can find Bellwether?" said Nick, cutting him off.

Finnick looks at him and frowns, "That eager to go back to jail, Nick?"

"Na, I just need to get something back." Nick tries to crack a smile.

"Well, for the past few days she's been hosting fundraisers for her reelection. So City Hall seems like your best bet. But, Nick, this is all pretty convenient, aren't you worried she'll be expecting you?"

"I'd be disappointed if she wasn't, and the collar?"

"I know a gal."

Nick's raises his eyebrows. City Hall was rather crowded that night. Most of the guests wear luxurious outfits and huddle around an orchestra that plays below the balcony. "You should see your face." said Bellwether, the scrawny little sheep stood beside him. Nick frowns, his ears slightly flatten and his collar flashes yellow.

"It's all a bit much," Nick smiles, "being my first day back and all."

"I'm sure it is," replies Bellwether, "so what brings you here, Mr. Wilde."

"Oh, I'm just looking for a pen." his collar returns to green.

"Figures," Bellwether giggles, "and you thought, City Hall would have one to spare."

"It's a special pen." he said with a shrug.

"That it is," she said with a smile that makes Nick shiver, "well alright, follow me."

"Just like that?"

"Mm-hmm, you'll see soon enough."

Moonlight shines through the open windows of Bellwether's office. She walks over to her desk and opens the upper right-hand drawer. Curtains flutter behind her as a cool breeze ruffles Nick's fur. "Hmm," she said "It's here somewhere…ah; here we are one carrot pen!" Her hand obscures most of it, but Nick couldn't help but smile at the sight. "Here you go" said Bellwether tossing it to him. Catching it, he silently gasps, realizing the pen is dappled in blood. Bellwether grins "One of the reasons why I let you see it, no way you can dup something that…unique." Nick's collar flashes red and he yelps from the shock. Desperately he paws at the collar with his empty hand until it returns to yellow. Bellwether snorts "And that's the other."

Nick gives her a scornful glance before returning his gaze to the pen, "I'm sure she'd want me to have it."

"Oh, I know she would," she said with a sinister smile, "but I'm not sure you want to hear what's on it," she walks over to him, "there's lots of screaming and tearing, it probably goes on for five or so minutes until the cops arrive. But of course, I was long gone by then."

"Hmm" said Nick trying to compose himself. She reaches out her hand and he brings his shaking paw within her reach. Bellwether grabs the pen, but Nick keeps a firm grip. She tugs and Nick's collar turns red, but he doesn't flinch, only smiles as he draws his face toward hers. She tilts her head, and Nick lunges at her throat. Bellwether thrashes wildly; he closes his eyes and waits. After a while she stops struggling, Nick lets go and she falls to the floor. "Fake collar," he mumbles and he pockets the pen, "it's called a-"

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart - that's...really, Nick?" asked Judy. She sat in a hospital bed, with a giant grin on her face; her leg freshly stitched up. Nick stood across from her, his cheek still stained blue.

"Yeah, that's like our- never mind," he sighed, "I didn't know how to end it."

"Clearly," Judy laughed, "and why would you kill her, you know where the pen is. You could just go back and steal it."

"Hmm," Nick mumbled, "but that wouldn't be as dramatic, and she could have destroyed it or moved it, and I'm fairly certain I couldn't use the shifty low life excuse to break in."

"Why would she keep the pen at all?

"Umm...she was over confi- yes, she was over confident. That's why she let me out, kept the pen, and left me alone with her. She thought she had all the power and then boom!" Judy snorted, shook her head and smiled.

"Ah come on! Admit it, you loved it."

"Did I? I mean I died – horrifically. And why didn't I even defend myself?"

"You, uh," Nick breathed through his teeth, "you couldn't bring yourself to hurt me?" he offered. Judy raised her eyebrows.

"Really, Nicholas, could you bring yourself a bit closer."

Nick chuckled nervously, "I'll pass on that, Carrots."

"M-hmm."


End file.
